Reference: BL, MS Cotton Galba D VIII f.180r-181v
Citation: DCB/001/HTML/1060/008
Date: 17 July 1591
Note: On fol.180r there is the signature 'FF'.
Copy of: 0322
addressleaf
fol.181vEndorsed: To my L. Tresurer Julij 17 1591
fol.180rLater Addition: [Belgia] 1591 17 July to my L. Treasurer
Later Addition: Belgia 1591: July.
lettertext
May it please your good L. I have signified in a former the 14 of this moneth the good successe of our exploit against the Ennemyes horse, But I writ that lettre to your L. before our troupes were all returned: for which I could not write with certainty, nor specify so much as came after to my knoledge, for where I writt but of 3 of theyr cornetes, that were defeated, they are found to be six: The first was the Cornet of the Dukes gard: of which the Captain Pedro de Nicelli is taken prisoner; who commanded by provision over all the horsmen, also his cornet was taken & the Dukes owne cullors. The 2 was the companie of Alfonso d'avales basterd brother to the Marques of Guasto who is likewise prisonner with his cornet & cullors. The 3 of Jeronimo Caraffa, who had the companie of the marques of Guasto, his Lieutenant il Conte Decio de Manfredi is prisonner & his cornet with his cullors ar taken. The 4 of Biasio Capozucchi brother to Cosimo secretary to the Duke. These 4 were Italians: but the 5 was Pradiglia an old spanish Captaine who was brought into Arnham prisoner but died the same day of his woundes. the 6 of Antonio d'Aguay who had a spanish company of harqubuziers. There were also taken prisoners Captaine Jacomo, heertofore a Captain of footemen but now in the Dukes entertaynment. Likewise, Captain Galeazzo del pozzo sometyme cornet of Appio Conte & now entertayned by Jeronimo Caraffa. These are the chief of those that were taken, but there are many other officers & gentlemen /of quality/ prisoners. The nomber of them all I cannot certify precisely, but as farr as I can learne, they are towardes a 100, & 240 horses. Theyr horses were no better then ours, but theyr horsmen far better armed, & moste of them old & very tall soudiers, the flowre as is thought of all his horsmen. They receaved no great hurt in conflict with the footmen, but when they came in sight of theyr pikes they made a suddain halt, having had before our horse in chase, & beyng come the point to do execution, And then our horsmen had the leasure to recover them selves, & to charge the ennemy a freshe, which put them presently in route fol.180v
Later Addition: Belgia: 1591: July:
This was don the 14 day, & the morning after the ennemyes camp was full of fires, which was taken for a token of theyr suddayn departre. many upon yt were sent abrode, both horse & foote, pesantes & others to learne what was ment & certaine trompetters were dispatched with counterfayt erandes to aske after prisoners: But by the ennemyes foresighte, all the advenues of his camp, which were very few, were diligently garded, & all comers in so streightly detayned, that wee conteinued alwaies doutfull, whether his fires were but stratagemes, to bring us onward, or that his meaning were otherwise directly to bee gon. Nevertheles the next day, after there were that sent us word from neutrall places, that for certain his forces were in transporting to Nieumeghen side, wherupon there were 3000 footemen & 400 horse sent thitherward, who approched so neer to the ennemeyes camp, as they forced a Corps de garde within theyr trenches, & mighte easily discern, that they had divers of theyr footmen in order of battaile, by the water side. Our troupes remained there for the space of 2 houres together but parceaving that the ennemy was unwilling to come to blowes & finding no security in assualting theyr trenches, being also uncertain, how many of his camp were passed the river, they returned homewardes that night, Howbeit this morning wee had a letter sent hether from out of the sconce, wherby wee were assured, that the greatest parte of his troupes were alredy gon over. Again theruppon we sent thether the like forces, as the daie before, but found no ennemy when they came. For all theyr campe was lodged in sight on the other side of the Wael, what they purpose to do next, wee can not yet conjecture, it is sayd by our prisoners, & wee have yt otherwise by other intelligence, that they go undoutedly for france. But yet we are parswaded that untell the Duke be assured, what way wilbee taken by the Germaine levy, hee will keep in these quarters, yesterday there came Verdugo unto him, with all his forces of Friseland, but [whether] his mutins of Diest & Herentals have receaved contentme[nt we] knowe not. The whole assembly of the general states is newly come hether from the Hagh: but I do [not yet] fol.181rLater Addition: Belgia 1591. July.
heare for what occasion. It shalbee signified in my next, with our next resolution for the employment of our forces. & so I take &c. Arnham. 17 Julij 1591.href="http://www.livesandletters.ac.uk/cell/Bodley/transcript.php?fname=xml//1591//DCB_1060.xml"